Byliny Book: Hero Tales of Russia

by Marion Chilton Harrison

One day when he was at Kiev he called his body-guard:

“My good brave comrades,” said he, “listen to your big brother, your Chief. Bring a rope of silk and make a snare. Put it into the dark forest and set the snare upon the damp earth so as to catch beasts of the forest, and catch martens and foxes, black sables and other wild beasts, and go on snaring them for three days and three nights.”

They listened to their big brother, their Chief, and they did the thing he had ordered. They took a rope of silk to the dark forest and set a snare upon the damp earth, but they could not catch a single beast. Then Volgá their Chief turned himself into a lion-beast. He leapt and bounded on the damp earth, through the dark forest, and drove out martens and foxes, black sables and other wild beasts, big bounding hares and little ermines. And Volgá took his own form again, and became a goodly youth.

And again when he was at the town of Kiev with his body-guard of brave youths he said:

“My good comrades, my brave lads, listen to your big brother your Chief. Take a snare of silk and set it in the dark forest at the very tops of the trees, and with it catch geese, swans and bright falcons, and little singing birds, and go on snaring them for three days and three nights.”

And they listened to their big brother their Chief. They did the thing he ordered. They took a snare of silk, set the snare in the dark forest, at the very [[4]]tops of the trees, but they could not catch a single bird.

Volgá the Chief turned himself into an eagle. He flew up beneath the clouds and struck down geese, swans, bright hawks, and little singing birds.

Again when they were at the town of Kiev, Volgá the Chief said:

“Good comrades, my brave body-guard, listen to your big brother, your Chief. Take sharp axes, good for cutting wood, and build a ship of oak; take fishing nets of silk and go forth upon the blue sea, and fish for all kinds of fish—salmon and white fish, pike and dace, and the most precious fish—sturgeon, and go on fishing for three days and three nights.”

They listened to their big brother their Chief, and they did the thing he ordered. They took sharp axes, good for cutting wood, and built a ship of oak. They took fishing nets of silk, but they could not catch a single fish.